Government House today announced the following appointments to the Court of Appeal of Bermuda with effect from 1 January 2026: 

Dr Ian Kawaley to succeed Sir Christopher Clarke as President of the Court of Appeal of Bermuda; and 

Sir Julian Flaux to the post of Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of Bermuda. 

Governor Murdoch said “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Ian Kawaley as the next President of the Court of Appeal. Dr Kawaley is a highly experienced judge and has served on Bermuda’s Court of Appeal since January 2023. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to Sir Christopher Clarke for his outstanding leadership and dedicated service as President of the Court of Appeal. His wisdom, integrity, and commitment to justice have left an enduring mark on the judiciary, and I wish him the very best in the future. 

I am similarly delighted to announce that following an extremely competitive selection process, Sir Julian Flaux has been appointed as a Justice of Appeal. I am also pleased to announce that Sir Gary Hickinbottom will take up the substantive post of Justice of Appeal, having served as an Acting Justice of Appeal this year. 

I am confident that the vast legal expertise and experience of these three distinguished judges will serve Bermuda well, maintaining the island’s reputation as a legal jurisdiction of the highest order.” 

Dr Kawaley said: “It is a great honour to be invited by the Governor to succeed Sir Christopher Clarke as President of the Court of Appeal for Bermuda. He has set a stellar example in ensuring that the Court delivers justice commensurate with the needs of the wide cross-section of litigants who appear before it. For more than 60 years, the Court of Appeal has played a vital role in the delivery of appellate justice in Bermuda. I look forward to working with my fellow Justices of Appeal, Chief Justice Larry Mussenden and the Court’s Administrative Staff, as we build upon a strong tradition of disposing of appeals fairly and expeditiously.”

Sir Julian said “I am honoured to have been appointed as a Justice of the Court of Appeal. I look forward to playing my part in maintaining the rule of law in Bermuda.”